Thomas Herrion played college football for the University of Utah, and in 2004 played on a couple of practice squads in the NFL. He played in NFL Europe and did well enough to earn a spot with the San Francisco 49ers as offensive lineman. 2005 was going to be a good year for Thomas Herrion until a fateful night in Denver.
After playing in a 14 play series at the end of the game, Herrion joined his fellow teammates in the locker room for a post game prayer. Thomas went to one knee, but never made it back up. He collapsed and died.
Though medical staff were attending to him within a minute of the collapse, there was nothing they could do as Thomas Herrion had died from Ischaemic heart disease.
Ischaemic heart disease is best summarized as a lack of blood flow to the heart. As a muscle, your heart needs constant blood supply. When that blood supply is constrained the heart begins to die. This is not a sudden onset disease, but a progressive one.
Thomas Herrion had significant blockage in his right coronary artery and Herrion’s heart was enlarged slightly.
There isn’t much you can do when a heart attack occurs, but once medical help arrives they can begin the fight to save your heart and restore blood flow.
To prevent Ischaemic heart disease you should:
- Not smoke.
- Exercise regularly.
- Monitor blood pressure.
- Watch your weight.
- Avoid transfatty acids.